Addressing the Issue
by Lil DragonLex
Summary: The likely and unlikely couples talk about the issue of why they are not together.
1. Yusuke and Botan

**Addressing the Issue****  
**_Yusuke and Botan_

Rain pounded on the window and Yusuke could hear every drop that hit it. It soothed him and relaxed his overworked body. He may have demon heritage in his blood, but he did have his kids and Botan's to look after. His kids did have some demon blood in them, more so in Botan's. Man, were they ever active and hyper! Yusuke almost gave up hope on the kids ever falling asleep. They were like batteries that kept going and going and going and going and going….

He was so proud of his two kids.

Yusuke glanced at his eldest son sprawled on the bed and his youngest one with his head plopped on his onii-chan's stomach. Both were snoring. Reminded him of himself. Sparing one last glance at his children, Yusuke went downstairs and into the kitchen to make tea. He didn't trust Botan to make it; least he wanted burned boiled water. However impossible that seemed.

A few minutes later Botan walked into the kitchen. "I smell tea brewing."

"You mean you smell water boiling," Yusuke smirked at her.

"But you are going to make tea, ne?"

"Only if you watch the kids for an hour after they wake up while I sleep."

Her eyes widened. "Are you crazy! Your kids are like batteries that kept going and going and going and going!"

Yusuke smiled. It was exactly how he described their children. "My kids? What about your kids? They can be as bad as their father. Especially the girl."

"Their father isn't that bad."

Yusuke gave her a skeptical look.

"He's changed!" Botan defended her husband.

"Well he still has that mean streak going on."

Botan huffed at him. She began setting up a tray of cups and placed small leaves in them. Next he took the tray and led her to a small room with a low table and set down the tray. Yusuke then poured water into the cups and looked out the window again. The early afternoon was dark because of the clouds that released their tears. While Atsuko wasn't the ideal or best mother around, she did tell him some stories. Like rain was the tears of angels and even God who cried and it descended onto Earth.

He wondered what Koenma was crying about now.

"It's so quiet."

"Hmm?" Yusuke turned his head to her and stared questioningly.

"The house. It's so quiet. Usually there's always something going on. Either Yoshi or Akira yelling at the top of their lungs at each other or Keiko yelling at you. Now, it's so quiet. Kind of spooky," Botan made exaggerated shivers to prove her point.

"Well I for one am enjoying it. So too bad for you." Yusuke took his cup and took a big gulp from it.

Botan rolled her eyes at him. "I just meant that it's unusual."

"Well enjoy it while you can like I am because you are going to watch them for an hour while I sleep remember?"

"What! You can't possibly mea– mnmm…" Yusuke clamped her mouth from going on any further.

"Shh! They have good hearing remember! Do you want to wake them up?" he hissed at her.

Botan shook her head. They waited for the dreaded signs of their children waking up from their nap. Both sighed with relief when they didn't hear any movements from upstairs. For a moment, neither of them moved away from each other. Each too aware of how close the other was and how alone they were. Although their children were upstairs sleeping, they considered themselves to be alone because the kids couldn't bother them. It had been a long time since the two could actually be alone with each other and talk about things that they shared only with each other.

Yusuke felt the familiar desire to hold the ferry girl closer as he looked deep into her pretty pink eyes. He wanted to show her how he felt about her. He wanted to, but…

Botan blinked, took Yusuke's hand in hers, and pulled them away from her mouth. She sat back down in her sit and smiled softly at him. Dazed, he followed her example. The sound of rain was all that was heard in the house for a few minutes.

"So has Keiko given you permission to take Yoshi and Akira in Makai yet? They may be only eight and five but I think that you should take them there when they're younger. It's not so bad in some places and they could even come to our house. Hotaru-chan and Susumu-chan wanted to show off their newly done rooms. And…. "

Botan continued to babble on about their children and then to whose birthday was coming up next and what to get. Maybe even a surprise party should be planned. Yusuke listened to all of this with an attentive ear. It was different from Keiko's yelling. Softer and gentle. It was inviting the other person to join in anytime, even though it was unlikely to happen. A voice and way of talking that was just waiting for another person talk as well but always waiting in vain. It was either stopped when someone told her rudely to or ignored. Yusuke wondered if anyone else noticed her voice the way he did.

He wondered if _he_ noticed.

"What do you think Yusuke?"

"It's a nice idea Botan," he calmly said.

"You really think so?"

"Sure. A few streamers here and there, everyone keeping quiet," he gave her a pointed look. "And we'll have a great surprise party for Shizuru."

"Great!"

They both fell unto silence again. Yusuke looked out the window again. The rain still kept going.

"Botan, do you ever wonder how things would be like if things were different?" he asked softly.

"Different? Different as in how?" she asked back.

"You and me."

Yusuke met her eyes dead on. She smiled.

"Yes. A lot actually."

"Do you regret being with Hiei?" Yusuke twitched. After years of seeing them together, he still felt a tiny twinge of jealously. He still couldn't believe that she chose Hiei of all people to be with either.

"No," she paused. "Do you regret being with Keiko?"

"Never."

"Do you ever think about how things could have been?"

"A lot actually."

Silence fell upon the two once again.

"But why… didn't things work out for us?" Yusuke ask, not looking at her.

"Because," he felt her reach out to him. "You were with Keiko. Ever since I heard about her, I knew that she would be the one that you would end up with. That you two were meant to be together. You two were in love with each other since you were kids and you didn't even realize it!"

"But still," Yusuke took her hand in his. "There was always something special for you."

"There was also something special, just for you. In here," Botan placed her other hand on her heart. "And no one could ever take it away. Not even Hiei."

"Well that's good to hear."

So he was smug that he had something that Hiei could never have, but can you blame him? A part of Botan's heart that would forever belong to him. Like she said, no one could ever take it away. Just like no one could ever take away a piece of his heart that belonged to her. Keiko had the majority of it, but Botan had free access to a small piece of it that she could never get.

Rain hitting the window continued. The two hands still clasped with each other.

Suddenly Yusuke grinned. "If I were to ask you to leave Hiei and come with me, would you?"

Botan was startled. "You aren't serious. Are you?"

"Would you?" Yusuke pressed.

"Are you serious!"

"Would you leave Hiei to be with me?" He wanted to know. He wanted to know if he did ask, would she leave Hiei for him?

Then Botan smiled. "Would you leave Keiko for me?"

"If you left with me, maybe."

"Then maybe I'd do the same."

Yusuke leaned closer to her. And though he wanted to, and she wanted him to, he didn't. Instead he placed a soft kiss on her cheek. His lips lingered there for a while before he pulled away. For the rest of the afternoon, the two of them listened to the rain as it fell to the window. On the table were two hands, stubbornly refusing to let go.


	2. Kurama and Hiei

**Addressing the Issue**

**Are  
**_Kurama and Hiei_

Hiei did not like rain.

Kurama watched in amusement as Hiei continued to fidget as he had been doing for the whole time since the rain started. He supposed that Hiei's discomfort, as he put it lightly, with the rain had something to do with his elemental being. Fire gets extinguished by water, hence the uneasiness when it rained. But Kurama never saw Hiei this edgy on a rainy day. And he was the type of person that found water soothing rather than irritating.

"Is there something on your mind Hiei?" Kurama finally asked the smaller demon, tried of guessing what was wrong with him.

He saw Hiei look at him from the corner of his eye and then began to move about restlessly. "It's nothing."

"It doesn't look like nothing."

"Hn."

Ah, the famous "Hn". Used especially if Hiei didn't want to actually say something, but it had so much meaning behind it. Most likely a defense mechanism developed when he was a child. Kurama smiled to himself. A picture of Hiei even smaller, with childlike eyes, and a cute scowl on his face saying, "Hn," ran around his mind while swinging a katana in all directions.

As much as Kurama loved analyzing Hiei, he wished that he knew the fire demon when he was a child. It was difficult to image Hiei ever being a child. From his personality, he probably loved killing and fighting since he was young. Of course they never talked about Hiei's past, nor did they talk about his past. It was just something that they never discussed; an unspoken rule that was never meant to be broken unless it meant life or death.

The past could not be changed but the future could.

But they barely talked about the future either. It was the present that they conversed about. Because to them, that was all that really mattered. To them, doing something now rather than later meant little regrets in the future. In Makai, regrets were something one could not afford. It could decide whether one could see the next day arrive.

So Kurama continued to watch Hiei pace his house agitatedly while looking out the window and occasionally glaring at the rain.

"Are you sure that nothing is bothering you?" Kurama tired again.

"Hn."

"Nothing wrong with Botan or the twins?"

Hiei paused. "They're fine."

Kurama raised an eyebrow. "Did you and Botan have a fight?"

Hiei looked at him like he was stupid.

"I take that as a no then."

"Hn."

Silence. Hiei glared at the rain. Kurama sighed. "Do you not like the rain?"

"Botan's pregnant."

That wasn't the answer that the fox demon was looking for but it certainly did explain the fire demon's behavior. When a male demon's mate becomes pregnant, the male usually becomes overprotective and won't stray far from his mate or leave them for very long. No wonder why Hiei was so grumpy today.

The familiar pang of jealousy and lost hit Kurama. Maybe if he had been more forward with his feelings, it wouldn't have gotten this far. Though he knew that he had lost a long time ago, he still couldn't find it in himself to move on. The feeling of the lost sent him to a state of grief, and from there, he did something very terrible to Shizuru.

"So why aren't you at home with her?"

"She's with the kids visiting Yusuke and his bratlings."

"I see."

The two listened to the rain. Because of their demonic hearing, they could hear every individual drop that fell. If they paid close attention they could also pin point where every drop fell.

"The rain was quite unexpected. There was no clue telling that it would start raining today," Kurama said to fill the silence. "Do you know if the baby is a boy or girl? Or maybe both?"

"It's too early to tell."

Hiei moved to lean on the wall near the window and looked out. Kurama always wondered what Hiei was looking at. Usually it was something that only Hiei could see. Whatever it was, to Hiei, it was as if he didn't stop looking, it would go away and never come back. That something unattainable and yet always trying his best to reach it. it was the same with Kurama. The only difference was that he didn't have to look out the window. He just had to look at the person looking out the window.

"You always stare at me," Hiei stated.

"Is that a problem?" Kurama asked nonchalantly.

"If you're going to stare," Hiei crooked his head to the side to look at the kitsune. "The least you could do is tell me what you want to say."

There were so many things that Kurama want to say to Hiei. So many words unsaid and unneeded to be said because Hiei already knew. He wasn't some idiot that Kurama needed to spell out what was going on in his mind. Most of the time.

"If I tell you, what will you say?"

Hiei didn't answer him. Kurama sighed. He should have expected that. Kurama lied down on his bed. He didn't feel ready to tell him just yet. Maybe in another minute or so he will.

"Shizuru's birthday is coming up," Hiei observed.

"Yes," Kurama agreed and flinched. And two months after that, the baby will be born.

"I think the onna wants to plan a surprise party for her."

A birthday party surprise or a baby shower surprise? The feelings of regret, guilt, and sorrow made its way to the pit of Kurama's stomach like so many times before. Ever since he first realized what he had done and when she came up to him and told him. Never before had he felt so dirty. Never before had he felt the desire for some to hold him and support him instead of the other way around, like he had done so for people numerous times before.

Nevertheless, even with the shame, he still had to do this one thing that he had been longing to do for years. He still had that one chance. And Kurama wasn't the type of person to let a chance just go by.

"How long did you know?" he changed the subject back.

"Don't ask such ridicules questions," Hiei said.

"Was I really that obvious?" Kurama smacked himself inside. It's a sad day when the great Yoko Kurama couldn't fool a person what he is really feeling.

"Only to those who watch you closely."

"I see." Kurama closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again, he said, "I love you."

He expected Hiei to not say a thing. To only hear the rain as an answer. But instead, Hiei said quietly, "I love you too."

Happiness flooded Kurama. Then Hiei continued on, and it was to be expected, "But you know that we could never be together."

Sadness mixed with happiness. But Kurama would take what he could get. "I know."

The sound of rain once again filled the room. That was how it was going to be. Kurama knew that nothing really good could happen when he came out with his confession. That didn't stop him because he knew that if he didn't tell Hiei then, he never would in the future. He would always be like a ghost. Floating around, waiting for something that could never be and always licking old wounds that never quite healed.

"Things will remain the same," Kurama voiced out his thoughts.

"Hn."

Then something occurred to him. "Does Botan know?"

"She has a vague idea." Hiei shifted slightly with discomfort.

Kurama dropped the subject. He couldn't deny that he wanted more from Hiei. Just as he was about to talk about things that would make the both of them at ease, something happen. Warm lips touched his. Even though it lasted for about a second, to Kurama, it felt like a life time. When Hiei pulled away, Kurama touched his lips and pressed them together to hold the warmth that graced his lips.

"Don't expect me to do that again," Hiei said. He stared at Kurama.

All Kurama could do at that moment was smile.


	3. Keiko and Kuwabara

**Addressing the Issue**

_Keiko and Kuwabara_

Dark clouds covered the sky while down pours of rain spread across the city. People everywhere scurried off to get home quicker or to find shelter from the rain. Coats, shirts, and sometimes plastic bags were used as cover from the rain when umbrellas were unavailable. A few walked by a pair underneath the shelter of a store's umbrella shade. Keiko watched with fascinated eyes as it seemed like the whole world was afraid of the rain.

She cupped her hand and brought it out of the shelter of the rain and let it gather the nearby raindrops. The rain had a nice refreshing feel after such a warm day before it started. A huge desire to walk in the rain overcame Keiko. She looked longingly at the bag of clothes, books, and groceries that couldn't afford to be wet and then back to the cool rain.

Hoping to take her mind off of her desire, she asked Kuwabara, "Do you think that it would stop raining soon?"

Kuwabara looked at the sky for a moment before answering. "I don't know. It was pretty sunny before it started raining. Who would have thought that it would start raining? Except for maybe Kurama."

He gave her a bright smile as if it would make up for a lack of a better answer. Though it wasn't the prettiest smile that Keiko had ever seen, she smiled back anyway. She always admired the way that he could easily show his feelings and not care what other people thought. Sometimes she envied Yukina.

"I kind of hope that it won't stop raining soon," Keiko, who surprised herself, admitted. With any other person, she would have told them that she wished would stop soon so that she could put all the shopping away and just relax.

"Really? Why is that?" Kuwabara asked curiously. "Did you and Yusuke have another fight?"

Normally Keiko would twitch and anger would start to boil inside of her because so many assumed that she and Yusuke had an argument whenever she was in a bad mood. But with Kuwabara, it was different. For some reason, she had more patience with him than Yusuke. Most likely it was because he was more willing to learn how to make things better than Yusuke. And he wasn't as stubborn.

"No, we didn't have a fight," Keiko answered. "I just… don't want the rain to stop anytime soon. That's all."

"Okay."

Keiko started at Kuwabara from the corner of her eyes. In some ways, he reminded her of Yusuke. Like the way that he could just accept _some_ things without any explanation and his passion for fighting. But in most ways, he was just Kuwabara. Kuwabara, the person that loved cats and would do anything for his friends. Kuwabara, the one who loudly admitted that emotions were not for the weak in Makai and that he loved Yukina.

Hiei and Touya were not pleased.

He had a certain bravery that Hiei, Kurama, and even Yusuke did not possess. Maybe that was one of the things that attracted her to him. She didn't know what exactly it was that drew her to him. She never really let her thoughts dwell on it. Keiko was just willing to accept that there was something, inside of her, that pulled her to Kuwabara. It wasn't as strong as the pull to Yusuke, but it was something that she couldn't ignore.

Wanting to talk more with Kuwabara and to have an excuse to move just a little bit closer to him, she asked, "So how is Yukiko doing?"

Kuwabara's eyes lit up when the conversation turned up to his so-called-daughter. "She's great! If she ever went to school, she would have to be put in high school. She just loves learning. Sometimes I think that she's even smarter than me!"

Keiko listened to Kuwabara go on about Yukiko for a while longer. He was so proud of that little eight year old ice apparition, soon to be nine. Even if she wasn't his child. Keiko's mind turned back to the time that Yukina announced that she was pregnant. It was also around the time that Yukina was seeing Touya. For a long time, everyone thought that the child was his. Even Hiei thought it was Touya's.

Kuwabara was crushed at the news. It was bad enough for him that Yukina had feelings for someone else, but to also have a child with him? But Yukiko was Yukina's child not Touya's. Keiko also remembered that it was also the year when a lot of things went bad for him. He never told anyone what happened to him. Not even his own sister. It was by chance that Keiko found out and she swore to him that she'd keep it a secret. Everyday Keiko was thankful for his life, for being there.

She didn't know what she'd do if he went away.

"Do you think that Yukiko will like the snow globe that I got for her?" Keiko asked him.

"I'm sure that she will," Kuwabara said with a large goofy smile. Keiko couldn't help but smile back. "I like it a lot. It's a great gift."

"I'm glad."

Yukiko. The thought of the little ice demon made her think of her own children. They should be napping at this time. Maybe tomorrow she'll take them to visit Yukiko. They'd like that. Then she could also visit Yukina and Kuwabara would sure follow just to see Yukina.

A dull ache form in Keiko's heart at that thought. She shook her head as if to rid herself of the ache. "Hey Kuwabara. Thanks for going shopping with me."

"It's no problem. I'm free anytime you need to go shopping."

"Really?" Keiko looked hopefully at him.

"Sure! Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't know," Keiko looked back out at the rain. "It was nice of you to do this. Now if only Yusuke could get off of his lazy butt and accompany me too!"

Kuwabara laughed. "Yusuke will never change."

Keiko sighed. "I guess not. Some people just never change."

Unlike you.

Keiko took a good look at Kuwabara. He still had most of his unruly and ugly features from when he was a teenager. But over the years his face had soften to be a sort of handsome. His personality had also changed. He thought more about his actions and was less idiotic. Yes, he still liked to fight, but did so less and less. Mostly because he couldn't keep up with Yusuke and because of his weakened body. But there was still his determination that never died.

He was still caring. He took care of his sister after they found out that she was pregnant and Yukina's daughter, who immediately began calling herself his daughter ever since she found out what a father was. It really wasn't so bad because Kuwabara did act like a father towards her.

"What's the matter Keiko?" Kuwabara asked. "Is there something on my hair?" He swiped his hair as if it would take away the none-existing thing that was there.

"Iie. There's nothing there. I was just…. Thinking," Keiko answered, blushing a little realizing that she'd been caught staring at him.

"Oh," Kuwabara turned to look at the rain like Keiko once did. "Do you like the rain?"

"I love the rain."

"Me too. Sometimes it reminds me of Mitari. Why don't you just go out in the rain?"

"Nani?"

"Go out in the rain," Kuwabara looked at her expectedly. "You looked like you just want to drop all your responsibilities and just run out in the rain. So why not? Go and have fun."

"But all the shopping. And the groceries. Someone might take them," Keiko automatically switched to her responsible mood.

"Well, I guess that's true."

"So you see, we can't."

"No, you go."

"Huh?" Keiko looked at him confused.

"What I said was that _you _go out in the rain. You really want to, ne? I'll stay here and watch the stuff. So don't worry. Have fun Keiko. You'll need it because you'll be yelling at Yusuke for the rest of the day when you get home and I can't image that to be fun." He gave her a childish grin.

Keiko stared longingly at the rain. In a soft voice, she said, "I don't want to go there alone."

Ever since Keiko found out about Kuwabara's condition, they've gotten close. Their relationship was a bit odd at first because Keiko was carrying her first child as well. But whenever Yusuke was away or Botan too busy with her job and unexpectedly getting closer to Hiei, Kuwabara was always there for her. Because, in a way, it made sense.

Two of the people closest to Yusuke, one who didn't have powers and the other who did but can't measure up, left in the dark. It was them who Yusuke left to go fight. And though he often returned, there was still that pang of loneliness. So the two stuck together.

"But you won't go alone," Kuwabara said after a while. "I'll be with you."

"Then who's going to watch the stuff?" Keiko raised an eyebrow. "And you just said that you'd watch the stuff."

Kuwabara looked stumped. "Um… How about Koenma!" Keiko sweat dropped. "Hey Koenma! You have to watch the stuff for us okay! When we come back and the stuff is gone, I'm going to go up there and KICKYOUR BUTT!" Kuwabara yelled at the sky.

People passing by turned to looked at him. Keiko could practically see their thoughts on their faces. They thought that he was crazy. Keiko glared at them, daring them to say something. Most hurried off to continue to whatever it was they were originally doing. Keiko was used to Kuwabara doing this kind of thing. It didn't bother her that much anymore.

"Do you really think that Koenma would watch our stuff for us?" Keiko asked him after she was done glaring.

"I don't know. But it's worth a try, ne?" he gave her another of his goofy smiles. Over time, Keiko had come to appreciate those smiles. It was as carefree as Botan's but more childish. One of the reasons why Shizuru still treated her little brother like a child. It wasn't stupid like Hiei always said it was, just warm. With a bit of ugliness to boot.

Before Keiko could say anything, Kuwabara dragged Keiko out into the rain, spun her around to face him, brought her arms around his neck, and began to dance.

"What are you doing Kuwabara?" Keiko asked him, thinking that he lost his mind like everyone else thought.

"Dancing. It's fun."

Keiko thought for a moment then smiled at him and placed her head on his chest. The two moved side to side while rain pour down on them and drenched their clothes and body. It hit their eyes, trailed down their clothes, made them shiver slightly, and tickled their noses. Yet despite of it all, the two continued to dance.

"This is nice," Keiko murmured softly.

"Keiko?"

"Hm?"

"I think that I love you."

"What?" she quickly looked up at him but never let go.

"I think that you love me too," he said looking into her eyes. "I'm not the fighter for love for nothing!"

"But – I… But –" Keiko tried to say. But Kuwabara placed two fingers on her lips.

"Shh. It's okay. Let's just continue on dancing." He twirled her around a few times. Large droplets of water flew from her clothes as she was spun and was pulled back to Kuwabara. She looked deep into his eyes and saw love and knew that the same thing reflected off of her eyes. But underneath his love for her was a deeper love for Yukina.

"I think that I envy Yukina."

She didn't say anything more. Neither did he. They just continued on dancing in the rain.


	4. Shizuru and Yukina

**Addressing the Issue**

_Shizuru and Yukina_

Shizuru made her way to the porch of the temple to sit down. She never wanted to be pregnant again. She didn't know how Keiko, Botan, and Yukina did it, but the morning sickness alone made her consider if she should really have this baby. She flinched at the thought of the contractions that were going to come soon.

Despite the joys she had at taking care of baby brother, she never thought that she would be having kids of her own one day. She wasn't sure if she even wanted kids. After the shock of discovering that she was pregnant, Shizuru spent some serious alone time, taking only to her brother and refusing to look at Kurama. Upon deciding to keep the baby, Shizuru knew that her life would never be the same again.

She had to quit smoking and drinking. She would be like another Kazuma, only prettier. And her baby was a child of Kurama, he had to be good looking.

Shizuru sighed as she watched the rain fall down from the heavens. It was one of those days where she thought about the baby's future. Kurama of course would be in it. He would be a loving father. Unlike most fathers who aren't married to the mothers, he would spend as much time as he could with his child.

He will make a woman happy one day.

Or a man.

"What are you doing Shizuru?" Yukina asked as she walked to the sitting woman.

"Nothing. Just sitting and watching the rain," she moved her hand to indict that she was staring at the rain.

"May I join you?" Yukina asked, polite as always.

"I don't see why not."

Yukina sat down next to her without a sound. At lot had happened over the past couple of years that the group didn't acknowledge, talk, or know about. Or maybe everyone knew and just didn't talk about it. An unspoken taboo. If they did, than the stain would be apparent. Everyone had secrets. Some are better at hiding at it than others. Shizuru knew that everyone was keeping secrets from everyone else.

Even her little brother had something to hide from her.

The trick was to get that secret out of him. She knew that Keiko had something to do with it. They've been spending a lot of time together. Her first clue was a phone call. The hospital called and she picked up. Only it wasn't for her, it was for Kazuma.

"The rain feels special today."

"Hmm?" She had been spacing out. She'd been doing a lot of that lately.

"It feels special," Yukina said. She stretched her arm and let the rain fall into her hand.

"How does rain feel special?"

"It… just does," Yukina replied softly, as if she didn't know how to explain it.

"Think that Koenma has anything to do with the rain?" Shizuru joked. "He could be doing this just so he could keep us all inside."

"Or to make us connect."

Shizuru didn't have anything to say to that.

Just then, a thunder was heard. The rain came down harder and then lightened up again. The two continued to watch the rain. Both wondered if the others were as well. Both lost in their own thoughts about the others. Then those thoughts changed to their present situations. One pregnant, one already with a child that is hers alone.

"If there was something wrong with Kazuma, would you tell me?" Shizuru asked unexpectedly. But she couldn't help it. Thoughts of her baby brother hurt plagued her mind relentlessly and she couldn't shake the thought that something was seriously wrong with him.

Yukina's eyes widened. "Is there something wrong with Kazuma?"

"I don't know," Shizuru confessed. "I don't think that there is. But would you?"

Yukina thought about it. "I would. But if he does not want me to tell you, then I would respect his wishes."

Shizuru nodded her head. Maybe there wasn't anything wrong with Kazuma. Maybe he didn't have anything to hide. Maybe she was just being a little bit too paranoid. Maybe he and Keiko were just getting closer. Like Botan and Hiei did. Maybe he loved her. Maybe she loved him. Or maybe he made a mistake.

Like Kurama did.

Yusuke would kill him if he did.

She would kill him if he did.

The hospital didn't tell her what the problem was with her brother. In the first place, she was at his house when the phone call came. He wasn't there. In the second place, Kazuma had asked that all relating information about his health be sent to him and only him. Maybe there was nothing wrong. Maybe he didn't have cancer and maybe he wasn't dying.

There were too many maybes and Shizuru decided to just stop thinking about it. Because maybe there was nothing wrong at all.

"Yukiko is still grieving over the death of her gold fish," Yukina stated.

"They don't last very long. You should get her a bird. They'll live longer."

"But she loves fish," Yukina pressed.

Yukina and Yukiko had such big hearts. It was hard not to care about them in any way.

"Then maybe a koi."

"How far are you along?"

Shizuru cranked her head to the side, surprised at the sudden change of topic but refusing to let it show.

"Two and a half months."

Yukina stretched her hand outwards to let the rain touch her. Shizuru watched her with a careful eye.

"Though I suspect that that is not what you really what to ask me."

Yukina shook her head. "I never really understood. In books and movies, when a ningen man impregnates a woman, he either runs away from her or offers to marry to her. Kurama did not run away."

"But he did propose to me," Shizuru said before the ice apparition could say more.

Yukina shook her head again. "And you said no."

"And now you're wondering why I did so."

Yukina nodded. "I am confused."

Shizuru shook her head and brought her legs closer to her body. "I didn't love him enough."

"I don't think that he loves you in that way to marry you either."

It wasn't meant to be harsh. And it wasn't harsh at all. Shizuru knew all along that he never loved her in the way that she really wanted him to. But it was fine with her. Just being his friend was enough. And truthfully, she didn't want to be in a relationship with him. The reason being was that she now knew that he was already in love.

Maybe Botan knows. Maybe not.

But she wasn't going to tell the ferry girl because she saw the too often glances that the blue haired woman threw at Yusuke and visa versa.

And Shizuru couldn't excuse herself either.

"Now that I answered your question, maybe you could answer mine," Shizuru said. "Why did you break it off with Touya?"

"Kazuma never asked me that." Shizuru gave her a questioning stare. What did he have to do with Touya? Despite the fact that the ice demon had made a couple of years miserable for Kazuma because he was with Yukina.

"When I became pregnant, as it is apart of my race to do so without a partner, I noticed that I couldn't see Touya as a father to my child. And when I couldn't do that, I couldn't see a future with him either," Yukina answered. "So I let him go."

"Do you still miss him?" Shizuru tentatively asked.

"Sometimes. But I only see him as a friend now."

Touya still visited Yukina. Yukiko too. Shizuru remembered the one time that he came by and neither the mother or daughter was there, but she was. Just like the time when the hospital called. They started to talk.

At first it was about little things because they were never at a room together by themselves. As time wore on, their discussions deepened and they started to share personal stories. He told her about his love for Yukina that he could not seem to let go. She told him about her love for Kurama and how she wanted to be with him, before she stumbled upon the truth.

And somehow, during their talks, she kissed him. Or he kissed her. She couldn't remember. What she did remember was that he tasted like ice, cold, and morning dew on a warm day. She couldn't get enough of his odd yet pleasant taste.

And yet they both knew that they were just using the other to cope with their unrequited feelings. It was different from Kurama's. Both demons felt the same sadness for not being with the ones that they loved, yet both kissed differently. Touya's was kind while Kurama was more desperate.

"I kissed Touya," Shizuru said after a moment of silence.

Yukina didn't answer.

Shizuru look to Yukina and saw a gem glisten before it dropped to the floor and rolled away to the rain.

"I don't love Touya," was all Yukina said before getting up and waking but into the house.

And that's when Shizuru was no longer sure of what the truth was and what the lie was. She didn't know if Yukina was saying that to convince her or herself. She didn't know if Yukina spoke the truth and was just sadden by something else.

Then Shizuru found that she no longer really cared. They only people that she cared for at that moment was her brother and her unborn child.


End file.
